Myanmar junta bans men from applying to work abroad - CNA

RECRUITS

The military service law was authored by a previous junta in 2010 but was never brought into force.

It allows the military to summon all men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 to serve for at least two years.

That law also has a stipulation that, during a state of emergency, the terms of service can be extended up to five years and those ignoring a summons to serve can be jailed for the same period.

The Myanmar junta announced a state of emergency when it seized power in 2021, with the army recently extending it for a further six months.

A first batch of several thousand recruits has already begun training under the law, according to pro-military Telegram accounts.

A junta spokesman said the law was needed "because of the situation happening in our country", as it battles both so-called People's Defence Forces and more long-standing armed groups belonging to ethnic minorities.

Around 13 million people will be eligible to be called up, he said, though the military only has the capacity to train 50,000 a year.

More than 4,900 people have been killed in the military's crackdown on dissent since its February 2021 coup and more than 26,000 others arrested, according to a local monitoring group.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiWGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9teWFubWFyLWp1bnRhLWJhbnMtbWVuLWFwcGx5aW5nLXdvcmstYWJyb2FkLTQzMTA0MTbSAQA?oc=5

2024-05-03 02:17:00Z
CBMiWGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9teWFubWFyLWp1bnRhLWJhbnMtbWVuLWFwcGx5aW5nLXdvcmstYWJyb2FkLTQzMTA0MTbSAQA

Why Taiwan wants to remove its Chiang Kai-shek statues - CNA

WHY DOES THE DPP WANT TO REMOVE HIS STATUES?

The DPP does not consider Taiwan as part of China. When the party won the presidency in 2000, it launched a series of educational reforms to remove Chinese history from high school textbooks. 

The DPP considers Mr Chiang a dictator and his regime a foreign one. It believes his statues should not be in public because they represent symbols of dictatorship and authoritarianism. Under his leadership, there was no freedom of speech. 

In 1947, the arrest of a cigarette vendor in Taipei led to large-scale protests by the native Taiwanese against Chiang’s government. 

Following the protests, thousands, including students, lawyers and doctors, were executed. It is estimated that up to 28,000 people lost their lives in the turmoil. 

During the subsequent years of the “White Terror” period, Mr Chiang’s government ruled Taiwan under martial law, which ended only in the mid-1980s. 

In 2018, the DPP established a transitional justice committee to investigate Mr Chiang’s rule. Among its recommendations was a recommendation to remove Chiang statues from public spaces.

However, there are some factions that think history should be preserved as it is, said Dr Lim Tai Wei, adjunct senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore's East Asian Institute.

Others also believe that given Mr Chiang’s setting up of military academies, participation in a war of resistance against external enemies, and role in building modern Taiwan, he does have a place in history, Dr Lim told CNA’s East Asia Tonight. 

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMib2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS90YWl3YW4tcmVtb3ZlLWNoaWFuZy1rYWktc2hlay1zdGF0dWVzLXRhb3l1YW4tY2l0eS1kcHAtd2lsbGlhbS1sYWktNDMxMDcxMdIBAA?oc=5

2024-05-03 06:17:20Z
CBMib2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS90YWl3YW4tcmVtb3ZlLWNoaWFuZy1rYWktc2hlay1zdGF0dWVzLXRhb3l1YW4tY2l0eS1kcHAtd2lsbGlhbS1sYWktNDMxMDcxMdIBAA

Biden breaks silence on college protests over Gaza conflict - CNA

Biden said the United States was not an authoritarian nation that silences critics but that "order must prevail".

"Dissent is essential to democracy but dissent must never lead to disorder or denying the rights of others so students can't finish the semester and college education," he said.

Biden asked whether state governors should call in National Guard troops to restore order if necessary, replied "no".

In response to a reporter's question, Biden said the campus protests had not forced him to reconsider his policies in the Middle East.

Student protesters are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and demanding schools divest from companies that support Israel's government.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvYmlkZW4tYnJlYWtzLXNpbGVuY2UtY29sbGVnZS1wcm90ZXN0cy1vdmVyLWdhemEtY29uZmxpY3QtNDMwOTM5NtIBAA?oc=5

2024-05-02 19:52:00Z
CBMiZmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvYmlkZW4tYnJlYWtzLXNpbGVuY2UtY29sbGVnZS1wcm90ZXN0cy1vdmVyLWdhemEtY29uZmxpY3QtNDMwOTM5NtIBAA

California police move in to dismantle pro-Palestinian protest camp at UCLA - CNA

Hundreds of other pro-Palestinian activists who assembled outside the tent city jeered police with shouts of "shame on you", some banging on drums and waving Palestinian flags, as officers marched onto the campus grounds.

Many wore the traditional Palestinian scarves called keffiyehs.

A much smaller group of demonstrators waving Israeli flags urged on the police to shut down the encampment, yelling, "Hey hey, ho-ho, the occupation has got to go".

Prior to moving in, police urged demonstrators in repeated loudspeaker announcements to clear the protest zone, occupying a plaza about the size of a football field between the landmark twin-tower auditorium Royce Hall and the main undergraduate library.

VIOLENT CLASH PRECEDES CRACKDOWN

UCLA had canceled classes for the day following a violent clash between the encampment's occupants and a group of masked counter-demonstrators who mounted a surprise assault late Tuesday night on the tent city.

The occupants of the outdoor protest camp, set up last week, had remained otherwise peaceful before the melee, in which both sides traded blows and doused each other with pepper spray.

Members of the pro-Palestinian group said fireworks were thrown at them and they were beaten with bats and sticks.

University officials blamed the disturbance on "instigators" and vowed an investigation.

The confrontation went on for two or three hours into early Wednesday morning before police restored order.

A spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom later criticized the "limited and delayed campus law enforcement response" to the unrest as "unacceptable".

As the much-expanded police force entered the campus on Wednesday night to clear the encampment, some of the protesters were heard yelling at them, "Where were you yesterday?"

UCLA officials said the campus, which enrolls nearly 52,000 students, including undergraduates and graduate scholars, would remain shuttered except for limited operations on Thursday and Friday.

Wednesday night's police action came a day after police in New York City arrested pro-Palestinian activists who occupied a building at Columbia University and removed a tent city from the campus of the Ivy League school.

Police arrested a total of about 300 people at Columbia and City College of New York, Mayor Eric Adams said.

Many of those arrested were charged with trespassing and criminal mischief.

The clashes at UCLA and in New York were part of the biggest outpouring of US student activism since the anti-racism rallies and marches of 2020.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5jaGFubmVsbmV3c2FzaWEuY29tL3dvcmxkL3VuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtdW5pdmVyc2l0eS1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvcy1hbmdlbGVzLXBvbGljZS1kaXNtYW50bGUtZW5jYW1wbWVudC1hcnJlc3RzLTQzMDg3NjbSAQA?oc=5

2024-05-02 11:41:00Z
CBMigQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5jaGFubmVsbmV3c2FzaWEuY29tL3dvcmxkL3VuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtdW5pdmVyc2l0eS1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvcy1hbmdlbGVzLXBvbGljZS1kaXNtYW50bGUtZW5jYW1wbWVudC1hcnJlc3RzLTQzMDg3NjbSAQA

Rural Chinese workers become unlikely livestreamers amid slowing economy, fewer prospects - CNA

NEED FOR REGULATION

Still, success stories like Mr Chu's are few and far between among the country’s 300 million migrant workers.

The livestreaming industry, which peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic, is becoming increasingly saturated as more look for a rare lifeline amid an uncertain economic outlook.

Experts said this has made it difficult for newcomers to stand out and outshine other livestreamers. Some resort to crass tactics to get more views.

Dr Yan Wu, Associate Professor in Media and Communications Studies at Swansea University, said there is a need for market regulation as livestreaming covers not just e-commerce but a wider field of talent.

“The content of streaming could be vulgar and sexual,” she told CNA’s East Asia Tonight.

“(The) industry poses this new challenge because in the past, when you think of the media industry, it has clearly separated fields – journalism, entertainment, advertising, etc.

“But the streaming industry seems to combine all these different sectors together. So the key thing is, who's accountable?”

She pointed to a “huge enthusiasm” in China for new technologies like virtual reality. Virtual influencers created with artificial intelligence have also gained steam in recent years. 

“When the technology keeps advancing under the market, (in) certain areas, the market reaches a saturation point. But there are new ways, new strategies for differentiation and a plug into the niche segment will be able to provide a new economic growth point,” Dr Yan said.

For Mr Chu, it was a no-brainer to switch career paths rather than continue living in the underbelly of China’s biggest and wealthiest cities.

"When you’re in the city, your salary may be just a few thousand yuan, and the work is hard and tiring. Maybe when you’re in the moment, you think the money comes easily,” he said.

“But in the long run, with automation, you risk becoming obsolete; you will have no value in the future."

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiXWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9jaGluYS1ydXJhbC1taWdyYW50LXdvcmtlcnMtbGl2ZXN0cmVhbWluZy1kb3V5aW4tNDMwODE0NtIBAA?oc=5

2024-05-02 06:54:06Z
CBMiXWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9jaGluYS1ydXJhbC1taWdyYW50LXdvcmtlcnMtbGl2ZXN0cmVhbWluZy1kb3V5aW4tNDMwODE0NtIBAA

Philippines summons China envoy over water cannon attack - CNA

MANILA: The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday (May 2) it summoned a senior Chinese embassy official over the "harassment of Philippine vessels" in the South China Sea.

"The Philippines protested the harassment, ramming, swarming, shadowing and blocking, dangerous manoeuvres, use of water cannons and other aggressive actions of China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels against" Filipino government vessels, it said in a statement.

Manila said it summoned Zhou Zhiyong, the number two official at the Chinese embassy in Manila, over the Apr 30 incident that damaged a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) boat near the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal.

"China's aggressive actions, particularly its water cannon use, caused damage to vessels of PCG and BFAR. The Philippines demanded that Chinese vessels leave Bajo de Masinloc and its vicinity immediately," it said, using the Filipino name for the shoal.

The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Manila and Beijing have a long history of territorial disputes in the South China Sea, with several collisions involving Philippine and Chinese vessels in recent months, as well as the use of water cannon by the China Coast Guard.

The latest incident near the Scarborough Shoal, which has long been a potential flashpoint, occurred during a mission to resupply Filipino fishermen.

On Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters the China Coast Guard took "necessary measures" against Philippine vessels that infringed on Beijing's territory.

These measures were "in accordance with the law, and the way it handled the situation was professional", Lin said according to transcripts released by the Chinese embassy in Manila.

Tuesday's incident came as the Philippines and the United States held a major annual military exercise that has infuriated Beijing.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMidWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9waGlsaXBwaW5lcy1zdW1tb25zLWNoaW5hLWVudm95LW92ZXItd2F0ZXItY2Fubm9uLWF0dGFjay1zb3V0aC1jaGluYS1zZWEtNDMwNzk1NtIBAA?oc=5

2024-05-02 05:22:10Z
CBMidWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9waGlsaXBwaW5lcy1zdW1tb25zLWNoaW5hLWVudm95LW92ZXItd2F0ZXItY2Fubm9uLWF0dGFjay1zb3V0aC1jaGluYS1zZWEtNDMwNzk1NtIBAA

Biden blames China, Japan and India's economic woes on 'xenophobia' - CNA

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden said on Wednesday (May 1) that "xenophobia" from China to Japan and India is hobbling their growth, as he argued that migration has been good for the US economy.

"One of the reasons why our economy's growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants," Biden said at a Washington fundraising event for his 2024 re-election campaign and marking the start of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

"Why is China stalling so badly economically, why is Japan having trouble, why is Russia, why is India, because they're xenophobic. They don't want immigrants. Immigrants are what makes us strong."

The International Monetary Fund forecast last month that each country would see its growth decelerate in 2024 from the year prior, ranging from 0.9 per cent in highly developed Japan to 6.8 per cent in emerging India.

They forecast that the United States would grow at 2.7 per cent, slightly brisker than its 2.5 per cent rate last year. Many economists attribute better-than-expected performance partly to a migrants expanding the country's labor force.

Concern about irregular migration has become a top issue for many US voters ahead of November's presidential election.

Biden, who has condemned the rhetoric of his Republican opponent Donald Trump as anti-immigrant, has worked to court broad economic and political relations with countries including Japan and India to counter China and Russia globally.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiamh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvYmlkZW4tYmxhbWVzLWNoaW5hLWphcGFuLWFuZC1pbmRpYXMtZWNvbm9taWMtd29lcy14ZW5vcGhvYmlhLTQzMDc0NjbSAQA?oc=5

2024-05-02 02:40:38Z
CBMiamh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvYmlkZW4tYmxhbWVzLWNoaW5hLWphcGFuLWFuZC1pbmRpYXMtZWNvbm9taWMtd29lcy14ZW5vcGhvYmlhLTQzMDc0NjbSAQA